“This review features the “oldâ€� A23 which I purchased upon the release of the enhanced A23+. Aesthetics are improved with the A23+, the annoyingly large red glowing P Is gone! But I digress, I purchased the old A23 to power my main speakers (original Time Windows) within my Yamaha 3040, 11.2 home audio surround System. I hesitated calling it a home theather because I use it primary for audio 80% of the time.
My system lacked depth of field/ depth of stage, the old Onkyo M505 lacked depth, it has excellent channel separation, great S/N Ratio, good build-quality, but i's sound field was 2-dimenional, flat.,
The old A23 was installed and immediately the sound quality improvement was noticable, depth of stage/imaging improved, suttle tonal clarity, improved channel separation. This within the first 5-minutes of operation, before the amp was “burned-in�. I was elated with my choice.
60-days later: Amazing, the tonal clarity of vocals, a 3-dimendional sound stage, tonal clarity of flutes, oboes, string instruments, percussion. The amp places the performers on the sound stage, vocalist, percussion, horns, strings, Symphony orchestral works are simply enjoyable to hear, i's like you're listen to new recordings.
My system also functions as an 11.2 surround sound home theather and with the addition of the A23 the front sound stage has become transparent. The main left and right (Time Windows) and center speaker (Definitive Technologies) disappear, the sound stage is 3-dimensional.
The addition of the A23 has greatly improved my listening experience. I highly recommend Parasound's Halo line. If the A23+ Is an improvement over the A23 original, my advise is to buy it. For the money, you won't get better sound quality until you spent 3-time the money
Halo line of electronics - Highly Recommended.”
